If you’ve ever been dummy ropin’, you know how FUN it is… and you don’t need to be a team roper on a horse to have fun with it.
Stick a steer head on a bale of hay, or hook up a Smarty dummy to your 4-wheeler – it’s as fun as the real thing.
But what about when it’s raining, or it’s dark out? How you gonna rope then?
Here it is: The living room Cowboy Toy. Born in Texas, our customers LOVE these mini steers! They come with their own rope, interchangeable horns, and the legs even move like a real dummy steer, so you can head ‘n heel with the whole family. Craig had to show Curtis with ABC4 Utah how it’s done:
This tabletop roping dummy’s as fun as it looks!
Gotta have one? Get your own Cowboy Ropin’ Toy (and see their big brothers) at SMITHandEDWARDS.com in our Roping Dummy section.
Nobody loves a good joke more than our Western department. They are infamous for their many pranks. Insomuch that when I joined Smith and Edwards I was even warned not to go over there on April Fool’s Day!
So in light of April Fool’s Day coming up I’m going to share with you some of their pranks that you might want to use for your own April Fool’s pranks!
Drop for Drinks
When you bring up the topic of past pranks in the Western department, there is one that seems to be revered over all, even honored. If they had a Hall of Fame prank board, this would be at the top. They call it Drop for Drinks.
For this “game” you need a quarter, a funnel, and what’s a good prank without ice-cold water.
Start by telling your “victim” the rules of the game. Entice him by telling him the loser buys drinks for everyone else. The idea behind the game is that you drop a quarter from your forehead in a funnel that you are holding up in the waist of your pants. When you make it in, you get to step out of the circle. The last one to catch his quarter buys drinks for everyone else. (I realize it sounds like you’d actually have to be drunk to play this game, but truth is, most our guys are water drinkers!)
Everyone gets in a circle and has a “practice round.” When it’s time for your “friend” to take his turn, wait for him to lean back to get his quarter ready. That’s the time to pour ice-cold water down his funnel. But watch out. After the shock wears off you may need to run! Can you picture why this is a Western department favorite?
Arachnophobia
This next prank they were laughing so hard I couldn’t always understand them! It involves a tarantula, a plastic container, and a co-worker with some serious arachnophobia.
One early morning Shaun came to work with a tarantula in a plastic container. Marty, their fearless leader, made a tarantula look-alike with a sheepskin for the body and dangling leather for the legs – all painted black. They tied it to an unsuspecting, unnamed co-worker’s work apron. (They manufacture leather tack for their wholesale department right here in our store.)
When the man came in to work, Shaun was holding the tarantula in its case, looking around frantically. The co-worker asked what was wrong and Shaun told him that when he came to work that morning there were two tarantulas in that box and now there was only one! You could see the other guy glancing around nervously. He carefully went to his workbench and reached for his apron while still scanning the area anxiously. As he went to put his apron on he saw the tarantula Marty had made dangling off his apron.
Now at this point in the story they are laughing so hard it’s hard to tell what they’re saying.
The poor man couldn’t stretch his arms out long enough to keep that apron away from him as he was screeching and backing up into the middle of the store. (We weren’t open yet so there were no customers to watch the scene, thank heavens!)
He realized it was a joke when he finally noticed everyone laughing. In the words of Marty, “That’s when he started breathing again.”
More Drink Than You Bargain For
The next two pranks show that you should never leave your drink unattended back in the Western department.
Next time you see a fast food drink sitting around, try this favorite trick! All you need is the cup with a straw and lid, a packet of Arby’s sauce (feel free to use Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, or any other sauce you can find), and some tape.
While the owner is gone, take off the lid. Make a small slit in the Arby’s sauce so the straw can just fit through. Secure it to the straw with tape and replace it in the cup with the lid. When he comes back he’ll take a big swig and get a special surprise!
I love this one, but once again, you’ll need your running shoes on!
The Leaky Pop Can
Don’t let Marty get a hold of your pop can, or water bottle, or pretty much anything that you value.
Apparently he likes to use a razor blade to cut a horizontal slit about 1″ down from the rim, right below the drink opening. The “victim” doesn’t realize it’s there and when he drinks he dribbles all over himself!
Oreo Horseradish Cookies
The next three pranks are simply irresistible!
Start by gently taking off the top of your Oreo. Carefully scrape out the middle of the filling, leaving just a thin outer layer. Fill it in with horseradish sauce, or something similar.
Replace the top of your cookie and replace in the Oreo package. Now you are ready to serve your delightfully deceptive treats!
Tabasco Sauce Donuts
This idea is a pretty simple concept that really packs a punch! First you need a box of store-bought donuts. (I suggest maple bars, but only if you’re sharing with me.)
Fill a clean syringe with Tabasco sauce and carefully insert into the middle of some of the donuts. Your “victim” will see you eating donuts, so won’t think twice about it when you offer him a Tabasco-filled one. Watch the pleasure turn to horror when he starts eating!
Chocolate Cupcake Surprise
Here’s a story I’ve heard over and over again. I guess if they prank a manager it goes down in the history books!
One April Fool’s Day Dani decided to buy some chocolate cupcakes from the store and add a little something of her own – black food color. She injected it in the middle of the cupcake with a syringe. (Apparently a pretty handy tool to have back in the Western department!)
Most of the cupcakes were untouched, and everyone was eating them – so when one was offered to our co-worker, he jumped at the chance.
He started realizing there was a problem when he saw black dye on his hands. Too late. His lips and tongue were black the rest of the day!
Raccoon Eye
For this simple prank you just need an ink pad and some binoculars. Ink around the binocular lenses with the pad so that when the unsuspecting wearer looks into them, they leave him with a surprise he won’t notice til someone tells him – or he looks in a mirror.
The guys in Western did this to a co-worker one time and he went most the day with the “ink spectacles” around his eyes before a co-worker from another department told him about it. Not saying it’s nice, just saying it works. Hehehe
Glue Bottle Jump
I call this the Glue Bottle Jump because that’s exactly what I did when they did this to me! You just need an empty glue bottle and some white 1/8″ cotton cord.
Take an empty bottle of glue and clean out the nozzle well. Marty uses a big bottle of Tear Mender because that’s what he uses all the time. Cut a 1/8″ cotton cord about 12″-15″ long and tie a knot at one end.
With the knot on the inside of the lid, insert the other end through the nozzle and make another knot on the open end. Now it is securely in place so it won’t come out. Pull the thread back through the lid so only the knot is showing on the nozzle of the lid. Attach your nozzle back to the bottle.
Marty, the Western department manager is fabulous at telling stories. He leads you up to the prank by showing you some of his work, or how he makes something. Then, when the moment is just right and he is showing you the glue, he’ll squeeze the bottle right at you and watch you jump…..and sometimes yelp. I’ve seen him do this to others and this harmless joke is always fun for a good laugh! Our friend Jeff was the last victim to his prank so we recorded it and you can see it below. Jeff says he doesn’t get scared easily so we’re pretty proud that we got any reaction out of him.
Thanks for being a great sport Jeff!
These are really only the beginning of the pranks and tricks you might find around here in the Western department. Maybe it’ll give you some ideas for April Fools pranks you can use!
Got some fun April Fools pranks of your own? We’d love to hear them! Please share them below.
Love all things Western? Tom teaches us how to tie a honda in this informative and easy-to-understand video. Check it out here!
Did you hear about our first ever in-store Dummy Ropin’ contest? We had so much fun we’re already thinking about the next one! Check out what happened and see who won.Sign up for our emails just for horse enthusiasts so you don’t miss out on the next one!
Our western department has western rock stars as far as I’m concerned. Not only do they carry a great selection of quality products, they are also so knowledgeable, friendly, and genuinely good people. They live the lifestyle they are talking about and have first hand experience.
Tom, Dave, Sam, Marty, Jess, Dani, Steve, Kyle, Shaun, Kris, and Sherm
Often they are asked how to do certain things, and how to tie a honda is a common request. Tom, one of our fabulous craftsmen from our manufacturing department (yes, they design and manufacture a lot of the tack they sell, and they do it right here in Smith and Edwards!) agreed to show us how to tie a honda. It must be effective because people keep coming back for more! (click here to skip to a written step-by-step how-to)
Watch How to Tie a Honda
Step by Step Tutorial on How to Tie a Honda
Tying a sturdy honda is really a two step process, but it really is quick and easy. First you make a stopper knot, then you can make your honda.
Begin by untying the strands in your rope about 6″ down and separate them. For our tutorial we’re using a 3 strand rope but you can easily do the same action with a 4 strand rope.
Take the middle back red strand and curve it to the left.
Take the blue strand on the left and go over and then under the middle red strand you just curved to the left.
Now take the right white strand and do the same over and under action you as you just did on the previous blue strand.
Grab the tip from this same white strand and insert it in the top loop you created with the first red middle strand.
Pull the end of each strand, making a tight knot at the bottom. Cut and burn the ends to seal it.
Now you’ve got your stopper knot ready for the next step. Look how great it turned out!
Time to tie your Honda
With about 18″ of rope, take the end that has your newly tied stopper knot. Working towards the right of your rope, loop it towards you til the knot faces away.
Grab the knot, take it to the left of the loop, then under and up, making an overhand knot.
It kind of looks like a pretzel now. Take your knot back behind the top of the loop and tuck it in the top loop of the overhand knot.
Make sure the upper loop you just made is the size you want and pull the bottom rope tight. Push the stopper knot up as you do this to keep it out of the way.
Now you’ve learned how to tie a honda like a pro, just like Tom and the rest of the crew.
Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and feel confident in tying your own hondas. If you have a question or there is something you’d like to know more about, let us know. Tom, Marty, Dani and others are happy to share their skills with us!
Be the first to find out about newly added Western products, special offers just for our online friends, and more helpful tips of the trade by signing up for our emails today. Join your email list here!
Todd Tanner with FOX13 visited Smith & Edwards in February to take a peek at the Country Boy Store.
We’re tickled that Todd took such great video of Smith & Edwards!
In addition to getting to explore the store, he got to talk to Mr. Smith, who grew the store from a little surplus & salvage operation to the gigantically fun store Smith & Edwards is today. Bert Smith still comes into the store ‘most every day at 95 years old, he’s an inspiration to all of us.
Smith & Edwards hosted our 1st Dummy Ropin’ on Valentine’s Day, February 14.
We’re glad everyone who came had such a great time!
There were 3 rounds and a range of ages participating…. and some GREAT prizes, from Smith & Edwards gift cards to ball caps and patches from Smart Roping, Fast Back Ropes, Bailey, Bex, and more.
It was a ton of fun for the adults who came. And it was even more fun to see the kids having a blast, whether they brought their own rope & gloves or they were trying their hand at ropin’ for the first time.
What do you think? Should we make a Dummy Ropin’ a Smith & Edwards tradition like the Gun Auction?
You’ll find 4-wheeler roping dummies, Shorty the Steer, and even tabletop roping dummies on our site! Click the picture to shop.
So now you’re probably thinking, Hey, I need one of those roping dummies!
Well, they are a ton of fun. The one you saw is available in green and black. It uses 8 wheels and is real easy to push on a flat floor. We built our own chute-launcher, you can see in the gallery. I bet you could come up with a system that works for your family to use.
For many of us, we get just about as excited for Valentine’s Day as we do for Christmas. It’s not so much about the gifts as it is about decorating! Reds, Whites, and Pinks, oh my!
I found some incredible ladies who love it just as much as I do. I call them the crafty bloggers because they are so talented and have their own darling blogs in which they share their ideas and creations with others.
The Challenge
Here’s what I told them: We’ll give each of you 3 rolls of tulle (pink, red, and white of course) and you can be as creative as you want with it. You can use other items but the tulle should be a main supply/focal point used. The trick is to see the fun ways you can use tulle for Valentine’s Day or decorating.
I’ve been so excited to see what they’ve come up with! Ready for the unveiling? Let’s check them out!
The Reveal
Click the image to get step-by-step instructions on how to make a tulle valentine bunting of your own!
Click on the image to get a tutorial on how you can make a wreath like this one.
Nice job ladies! Thank you so much for taking the Crafty Blogger’s Valentine Tulle Challenge. I feel even more inspired to get out the tulle and start crafting!
Your Turn
So what about you? What do you think about these projects? Are there any that you want to try? Let me know in the comments below. Send pictures if you try something on your own. I’d love to show them off on our brag board!
You can check out my Valentine’s Project Idea here to find out how to make this fun, quick, and easy tulle ornament. You get step-by-step instructions that will hopefully help inspire your creative juices to flow as well as the great ideas above.
If you would like to be a part of our next bloggers’ challenge, leave a comment below. Happy crafting!
Flowers? Chocolates? That’s so been done. This year give your sweetie something that not only declares your love but that’s clever and useful too. Keep scrolling for our top picks that are bound to bring a smile to his or her face.
His & Hers Giveaways
But first – enter to win these sweet His & Hers Valentines’ Giveaways from us! a Rafflecopter giveaway
Special Gifts for your Sweetheart from Smith and Edwards
What says I love you more than Smith and Edwards gun mugs? Okay, there might be something out there, but you know your Valentine will love these! Tell her, “Shoot, I’d marry you all over again!”
Find the black one here and the pink one here.
Tell him you couldn’t survive without him with a very cool and high quality survival kit by Ultimate Survival Technology.
Find more 1st aid kits and supplies here.
Tell her she’s the light of your life with a Lumaspot Rhythm lantern she’s going to love. Not only is it durable and dependable, it comes with color changing LED disco lights with MP3 compatibility. I love this thing!
Find more lighting options here.
If you know your Valentine loves to fish, tell him that out of all the fish in the sea, you’ve made a great catch! Then give him a box of new fishing lures and jigs you know he’ll love.
Find more fishing tackle and bait here as well as the perfect Smith and Edwards compartment box here.
For the avid outdoorsman, tell him he’s found the way straight to your heart. Then give him a high quality compass like this one from Brunton.
Find more compasses here.
To really spice things up, tell her she’s one hot mama and give her some Hot & Spicy jerky seasoning from Nesco. You may want to throw in some Supreme Hot Sauce as well!
Find jerky guns here and more seasonings here.
If he’s a good ole western boy, tell him he makes your heart sing and give him some classic western music.
Find more western music CD’s here.
They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. With this heart mold from Tovolo you can remind him how much you love him all year long.
You can’t go wrong with a Stainless Steel Magnetic Bracelet by Sabona® for him or her. When you’ve got a gift this classy, there’s no need to write something clever! The bracelet speaks for itself – top quality, well made, and gorgeous!
Find more styles of Sabona® bracelets here. And make sure you entered to WIN one a Sabona bracelet at the top of this post!
Hope this gives you some new ideas for your Sweetheart. Got some clever valentine ideas of your own? Please share them by commenting below. We’d love to hear what you’ve done!
It’s coming to Bear Lake, Utah… and it’s the only time this year! Are you ready?
The Bear Lake Cisco Run happens 1 time a year and it’s unique in how you fish for them. And it’s only a couple weeks out of the whole year.
This fish, the famous Bonneville Cisco, can only be found at Bear Lake. During this time, they can be caught by using a dip net from a boat.
(Be careful not to net the Bear Lake MONSTER, though!)
And if you’re participating in the Cisco Disco, a cisco net is a MUST!
Get your Cisco Fishing Net today
This Ranger 173 wire smelt net is perfect for Cisco! Get yours before you miss the season.
What’s the Cisco Disco? This year on January 24th, start fishing at sunrise at Cisco Beach on the east side of Bear Lake. There will even be prizes for largest catch of the day!
From now through the first of February, get your chance at a cisco with a cisco net! My Cisco fishing nets just arrived here at Smith & Edwards, I’ve got the Ranger 173 wire smelt net for you here in the Fishing department.
It has a telescoping handle, and an 18″ net perfect for cisco. Plus, it’s got a handle on the bottom so you can empty your catch easily!
Exclusively available in-store at Smith & Edwards (not online), come in & get yours today for just $29.99.
Before you go, check out the new Maniac Lures I just added to our web store. New colors of Gizzybugs, Gizzillas, Cutterbugs, and new Vertigo. Give these jigs a shot and let me know how they work for you.
We have a lot of hunters as friends here at Smith & Edwards… and when they send us pictures of their hunt we can’t help but brag ’em up!
There are lots of reasons people go hunting…. to enjoy nature, get away from it all, spend time with hunting buddies…. and if you bring home a trophy, that’s the frosting on the cake.
These 4 hunters were lucky enough to bring home some great pictures and great stories, take a look…
Ann Cooper’s Shiras Moose
My husband, Harlan, was able to call this bull in from across a canyon and nearly a mile away. After the first cow call, he came from a patch of aspens and headed down to the creek bottom, where I shot him at 60 yds. with my rifle. He measures right at 40″ wide, and I nicknamed him “Daggers” because of his extremely long front brow tines.
Want to hunt in Utah, but not sure how to get started? Our guide to Camo Patterns & Concealment Tips will point you in the right direction!
Steve Russell – Archery Deer
Steve, our Diversified Marine rep, got this nice deer up Little Cottonwood canyon at the Wasatch west unit, the first day of archery, August 16 2014. Nice Steve!
Rod Thompson and Bart Thompson
Rod and Bart both got awesome results from their Wasatch archery hunt…
Bart with his 7×7, archery
Rod with his 6×7, archery
Thanks Cheryl Thompson for sending in the pictures!
Your Turn!
Send your pictures & stories to info@smithandedwards.com. We love showing off what our customer can do with the amazing products we sell them.
Leave a nice comment below for the hunters pictured… aren’t those nice photos?
I love our water softener, but there’s one thing I can’t deal with: 40-pound salt bags. That’s what the honey-do list is for right?
Some folks don’t like soft water though. Getting out of the shower, maybe you get a slimey feeling still like the soap isn’t washed off still. Or maybe you don’t like the way it tastes.
NuvoH2O is a company based out of Kaysville, Utah that has a solution to make both of us happy! A salt-free water softener that doesn’t have the taste or feel of soft water – just all the benefits.
How NuvoH2O works
The NuvoH2O takes the place of water softening machines 3-4 times its size! Water runs through the unit, coursing through the citrus cartridge. The cartridge allows limescale and other chemicals to run through your pipes and appliances without any buildup or residue – it’ll even clean out the stalactites growing in your hot water heater if you’ve got an older home without a softener.
The citrus cartridges good for 6 months, and they’re even FDA-approved.
NuvoH2O can hook right up to your existing pipes.
How to Install the Saltless Water Softener
The NuvoH2O system is only a couple feet tall on the biggest model! So it can attach right to your wall instead of taking up more room by the water heater. A bracket and installation hardware come with the system so you can put it up without having to get more stuff.
If you already have a water softener, you don’t have to call the plumber to switch it out unless you really want to. We have all the parts you need to hook it up.
Here’s how to switch it:
Turn off your main water line.
Cut pipes that are connected to your old water softener.
Remove old system.
Connect new system in-line using shark-bite fittings.
If you need more help, Blaine Taylor our Plumbing & Hardware manager would be happy to help you out! Come in or give him a call at 801-731-1120.
Check out how small this system is! This is the home edition Marcus has got his hand on.
To replace the cartridge, just unscrew the top, take out the old one, and pop the new one in. The cartridge is 37 pounds lighter than a bag of salt to dump in your typical water softener!
Where can you find one?
Smith & Edwards is one of only a handful of stores in Utah carrying the NuvoH2O system because it’s so new to the market!
Well, actually that’s half true. The fact is Nuvo’s technology has been around for 25 years in the commercial sector, softening water in businesses like restaurants. So it’s just now coming into homes and apartments.
Smith & Edwards is a GREAT place to get your NuvoH2O, too, because not only do we have all the cartridges and plumbing fixtures you need (remember, you don’t need a plumber to hook it up!) …. we also have a $100 INSTANT REBATE through September 30 so you can get a new water softener system at a great savings. All right!
Check out the NuvoH2O & buy replacement cartridges online:
